Prep football: Wildcat QB seals a 4A win for Mustangs

Prep football • Eddy Hall plows for 110 yards through the snow to lead Mountain Crest.

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This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

When the going gets tough, Eddy Hall gets going.

That was the takeway from Mountain Crest's snowstorm semifinal win over Highland, a 14-6 slugfest that could have been a white nightmare for the Mustangs.

The team has thrived with Jamison Webb taking over at quarterback, as the senior threw for nearly 2,000 yards entering the matchup. But the snowy and slippery conditions all but took the passing element out of the game: Between them, the teams completed only 10 passes.

That's when the Mustangs turned to Eddy Hall, a running back who played out of position last year as the quarterback. And although it's not his favorite calling and though he hasn't recovered from a lingering ankle injury, Hall's 110 yards on the ground helped seal the deal for Mountain Crest.

"Eddy can win a game for you," coach Mark Wooton said. "He did it last year for us. The thing that's crazy, he does have a bad ankle and he's not 100 percent. â¦ He had no push or drive off his ankle because it's still pretty sore, but he had it today."

ARTICLE PHOTO GALLERY

Hall took the bulk of the second-half snaps, carrying 32 times through blizzard-like conditions. When it was tricky to make a cut or even see a few feet in front of him, he persisted.

With fullback Nick Taylor as a lead blocker and the entire Mountain Crest line playing exceptionally well, the team was able to push through a Highland defense peppered with Division I talent. Hall ran 75 yards in the second half alone, allowing the Mustangs to hold onto the ball for most of the fourth quarter.

His first-half touchdown, a 5-yard scamper, put Mountain Crest in position to win. But his second-half endurance trial sent the team to the finals.

Still, he'd rather leave quarterback duties to someone else.

"I like [the Wildcat] but I'd like to see [Jamison] in there next week," Hall said. "He's really humble that he doesn't get upset. â¦ He understands what we have to do as a team to get there."

• Mountain Crest running back Eddy Hall comes in at quarterback for most of the second-half snaps.

• For the game, he finishes with 110 yards on 32 carries and a touchdown.

• In the second half alone, Hall rushes 21 times for 75 yards.

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